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Chuck Miller

Charles Miller worked as an editor for Fine Homebuilding for more than 30 years. After his retirement, he moved to California, but he remains on the masthead as an editor at large. As of 2017, he still illustrates and edits FHB’s “Tips & Techniques” department, and he appears online in many of our archived There’s a Better Way video series. Before signing on with Fine Homebuilding in 1980, he was a builder in Berkeley, California. He still builds for fun — “My wife calls me an over-do-it-yourselfer,” he says.

Make a Handy Sanding Block with a Belt-Sander Belt

Tip master Chuck Miller has found yet another way to avoid struggling with a sheet of sandpaper loosely wrapped around a scrap of wood.
Make Your Own Simple Sanding Blocks

Master carpenter Mike Belzowski demonstrates his efficient method for making batches of different-grit sanding blocks out of scraps of MDF and sheets of sandpaper he has laying around the shop.
How to Keep Power Cord Plugs Tight and Dry

If you're working with power tools on a wet, rainy job site, you could take the chance that your extension cord won't trip a breaker when it slips into a…
Use a Reciprocating-Saw Blade to Mark Circular Holes

If you need to cut a round hole in a ceiling for a light fixture but you don't have a compass, you could just hack away at the drywall until…
How to Safely and Easily Cut Shims from Scrap Wood

Don't waste your money on a bundle of shingles if all you need are some shims for a framing project. Use this simple jig to cut your own shims on…
How to Clean Fuzz Off of a New Paint Roller

Use painter's tape in an ingenious way to make any roller lint-free.
Build a Foolproof Jig For Cutting Laminate Countertops

If you're cutting a postform laminate countertop in the field, you could try freehanding the awkward cuts and hope you don't screw it up, but there's a better way.
How to Lay Out an Accurate Ellipse with a Stick, Two Nails, and a Pencil

If you need to make an elliptical backing for a cove or arch, you could look at the 15 ways Wikipedia shows how to do it and risk your head…
A Better Way to Fold a Tarp or Drop Cloth

Chuck Miller demonstrates why folding your tarp like a flag is not the most convenient way to stow it. Learn this old trick from the theater industry and save time…
Hold Your Sharpening Stone Steady on the Job Site

If you're on the job and need a super-sharp chisel, you could hope that your stone doesn't slide around while you're trying to work on that edge, but there's a…